By .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and Andrew Gans
23 Jun 2014

Randy Jones and Remy Zaken

Photo by Michael Blase

The world premiere of the Off-Broadway musical The Anthem, an original piece inspired by the Ayn Rand novella "Anthem," closed abruptly June 22, a press representative for the production confirmed to Playbill.com.

The Anthem played 33 performances, and it was due to "schedule conflicts" that led to the decision to close on short notice. The production opened May 29, following previews that began May 20, Off-Broadway at Culture Project's Lynn Redgrave Theatre.

JJJ Productions in association with Culture Project and Aaron Grant Theatrical, Inc. presented The Anthem, which has a book by Gary Morgenstein, music by Jonnie Rockwell and lyrics by Erik Ransom.

The new musical, which features an expansive aerial and circus environment, is described as such: "'Hunger Games' meets Ayn Rand in a far off future (several centuries after the early 1980s) in a social media gone mad world, where individuality is illegal. Prometheus (Jason Gotay) abandons everything to confront the State — controlled by the overlord of evil efficiency, Tiberius (Randy Jones). With a forbidden copy of Ayn's Rand's ancient tome in hand, can Prometheus overthrow the system?"

The production also had music direction by Michael Gayle, music coordination by Mike Lunoe, scenic design by Robert Kovach, lighting design by Kryssy Wright, costumes co-designed by Kae Burke, sound design by Sean Hagerty, additional musical staging and choreography by Danielle Fusco, additional aerial choreography by Brian Ferree, aeriel rigging design by Joshua Sherer and props and projections by Ellie Engstrom. The stage managers are Jane Pole and Nicole Kuker. Casting is by Daryl Eisenberg Casting.